1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for automatically cutting off the power to an electric kitchen range when a fire occurs or is imminent.
2. Prior Art
Phifer U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,904, issued Oct. 14, 1975, and Barnett U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,907, issued Feb. 14, 1984, disclose electric kitchen ranges with built-in temperature-responsive elements to protect the internal circuitry from overheating, but are not concerned with the problem of fires caused by inadvertence during operation of the range. Such fires can be worsened by continued operation of the range heating elements such as if the range has been left unattended or the fire itself prevents turning off the range elements by use of the manual controls.